The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-12-02
PHYSIOLOGICAL METAPHORS.
Figurative Expressions Which Ia
vOlve an Inaccurate Theory.

as in the strata of the rocks are found
remnants of extinct genera and species,
50, in our everyday language. words
and expressions survive still bearing
the almost obIiterated traces of ancient
and half-forgotten theories. Each
record is silent TO the unframed eye,
but eloquent with meaning to those
who have learned to read it Alright. In
our most logical moods we still employ
expressions which imply belief in long
exploited hypothesis. In our calmest
moments we use metaphors and SMILES
once instinct with passion, but now
| part and parcel of the common coin of
current thought. We speak of an army
being smitten by disastrous panic"
without rejecting that our epithet
implies belief in astrology, or that our
substantive indicates faith in the ex-
| istence of the God Pan. We describe a
man as "jovial'' or "morcurisp' in dis
| position without any conscious refer :
ence either to Jupiter or Mercury.
But perhaps the most remarkable
series of latent metaphors III our
language are those of the physiological
! type Which contain references TO the
organs and functions of the human
body. Few words are more frequently
on our lips than "warm-hearted,"
cool headed" good humored, > ill
tempered" We talk of venting the
spleen" "a man of that kidney" "a
keen eye of business, ~ "a good ear for
music, ""a silver-tongued orator, Ia
victim of hypocbondrIasis. - All these
impressions, however loosely employed
! in general, involve a theory, and in
most cases the theory is either false or
partially inaccurate. This Is not sur
prising when We reflect that such
metaphors date from the infancy of
! human knowledge, when the body and
its functions were still sealed mys-
| teries..
First in frequency and importance
must be placed the vast range of ex-
pressions which refer to the heart as the
seat Of the soul, and especially of the
emotional soul. These expressions are
found in the earliest known writings,
and have become the commor-places
of almost every nation. We talk OF the
devices and desires of the heart. The
heart of kings is said to be unsearchable.
Here the heart stands for the whole
nature, writ short" but With reference
rather to the natural disposition and
the moral character than 10 the intel
lectual powers. More frequently, how
ever, the heart stands for the affections
and emotions. The poet Ford calls the
heart in express terms, 1.-THE seat of cur
affection" Shakespeare speaks of the
heart dancing" for Joy, and the ex-
preston has become familiar one.
rennyBon, IN well remembered lines,
tells US that
Kind hearts are more than coroDets.
And simple faith than Norman blood
Especially do we speak of the heart
when we are thinking of the devotion
of lifetime. The bride at the altar is
said to give her hand and hear" the
former signifying her person and for
tune and the latter implying the sur
render of her affections.
The following lines express familiar
but always touching sentiment;
The flush of youth soon passes from the tace
The spells of fancy from the mind depart
The form may loose its symmetry, its grace
But time can claim no victory Ger the
heart
1t is needless to multiply instances Of
such expressions, as our literature TEEN:
with them, and they are con family
upon our lips.
| One almost hesitates to profane suct
sacred expressions with the hint thai
they are one and false to nature; YET
such it the hard fact. The heart is no
the source or seat of the emotions; it Is
Ion the contrary, one of the mos
prosaic, although most vital, organs c
the body. 1t is simply followed on
muscle which expands to receive thu
blood from the veins and contracts t.
propel it again through the arteries
It is merely a natural pump, yer.
wonderful and perfect in its structur,
and mechanism, but still concerned il
no higher function than the purel,
mechanical one of regulating the suppl.
of blood to the various organs OF tn
body. The heart does not feel emotion
} It does not warm with love, or burr
with hate or melt with pity, as th
poets have so long assured US, and a
so many familiar and popular expires
sions imply. All these emotions hav
their seat IN the brain.
Yet it is not very difficult to discern
why 80 many nations have lnstlnctivel,
spoken of the heart as the seat of tn
emotions, not only without conscious
ness of absurdity, but with firm con
vlction of the accuracy of such expires
7 sions. Though not the source an
2 nentIy responsive to its influence.
is linked by many subtle cords TO tn
brain; and when the emotional centr
there is affected the heart is TIE frs
f. organ TO feel electric thrill, and hrob
and palpitates in ready and responsive
sympathy. In this secondary sens
, the heart may still be regarded as con
cerned in emotion. 1t is SO concerned
but as patient, not agent; IS effect, AM
y not cause. If any one will CAREFUL,
analyze his sensations when strue
with a sudden and overpowering emo
. ton, he will find that the head was frs
affected, however momentarily, an
that the effect upon the heart wa
subsequent and secondary. suddeI
emotion produces feeling Of fullnes
in the head. slight giddlness and
transient bewiiderment Of the lntellec
all signs which clearly indicate som
disturbance of the brain. The quick
: ened heartbeat and the throbbin
pulse are secondary affects. althoug
they may follow after an interval S
brief as to be scarcely sppreciable.
Chambers Journal.